Contact: Erika Martinez
(505)986-4263
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2014
Secretary Designate Fails to Receive Confirmation Recommendation
Santa Fe, NM – Today, Hanna Skandera failed to receive a favorable recommendation for confirmation as New Mexico’s Public Education Department Secretary in a Senate Rules Committee hearing. A motion for “No Recommendation” stalled in a five- to-five vote. A motion to recommend her confirmation to the full Senate failed on a four-to-six vote. Another motion to reject her confirmation was made but failed to receive a second. The effect of the tie vote means that the full Senate will not consider her nomination for confirmation.
Rules Chair, Senator Linda Lopez (D-11-Bernalillo), did not take public comment prior to the votes.
Senator Clemente Sanchez (D-30- Cibola,Socorro, McKinley & Valencia) spoke about his qualms with the policies implemented by Skandera, and the detriment caused to schools and students in rural areas.
“We’ve been fighting back and forth and…I think there’s a point in our careers that we just need to move on,” said Sen. Sanchez, who voted for the “no recommendation” motion. “The only people being hurt by this are our students. This administration, through executive order, has put the handcuffs on our education system and our teachers. I believe the local system should have control over how it is run.”
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